Broken Wing
by kiki.forever
Summary: Fang's sudden leave hurts worse than a broken wing . . . and Max should know what that feels like. But this sassy teen is determined to find the love of her life, Fang; and she's not going to wait twenty years to do it. Post-FANG. Pre-ANGEL.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: A new fan fic, everyone! I'm not sure if the title will stay or not, but if you guys hate it, feel free to tell me. I put the Prologue and Chapter One together just because I felt like it. :)

Oh, and this is in Max's POV . . . as of now. Perhaps that will change . . .

And this basically picks up right after FANG (which by the way, I cried when he was about to die and Max was remembering all the times they had together; i.e. when Fang tried Max's cooking for the first time, spit out her mac and cheese, and Max dumped the bowl on his head. So sweet and sad). Max stayed in her room for a while, just having the usual moping syndrome most teens have when their love leaves. But now . . . Max is back. Back to her usual, kick-butt self! For the most part . . .

Enjoy and review please!

Disclaimer: I can't take credit for the Maximum Ride series, or its characters. Sorry. It just wouldn't be right. They're James Patterson's. All Patterson's. All the time.

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BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

**Prologue**:

"Fang?" I murmured, flying toward the shadow in the distance with the distinct figure of my ex-boyfriend/ex-best friend/scum bag. "Is that you?" My throat felt dry and a lump was forming.

The figure turned around slowly, hearing my voice with its raptor hearing. His eyes were cold and menacing. I gulped. WTH? That couldn't be my loving Fang!

The Fang-imposter floated toward me, his beautiful dark wings gently flapping in the breeze. It _looked_ like Fang. But it couldn't be. He was too—

Too . . . too . . .

My eyes widened as the bird kid morphed into a deadly Eraser. His muzzle dripped with thick drool, slowly rolling off his yellow teeth, and I could almost smell the grotesque Eraser's breathe from here. Sharp claws and dark fur burst from his hands. No. No. NononononoNO! The Fang-Eraser glided away from me gracefully—very un-Eraser like—and left me without another glance.

"Come back!" I screamed, as uncharacteristic tears dripped down my wind-chapped cheeks, streaming off my face and into the sky, leaving a burning sensation behind. _I don't care if you're my enemy! You're still my Fang_, I shouted in my head. _I don't care if you don't want me anymore! _

Because I will find you.

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**Part 1:**

**_Finding my Loser Love-of-my-life_**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

I WOKE UP IN A COLD SWEAT, breathing heavily. Of course. Of freakin' course I would have that dream again. I mean, the love/hate of my life _did_ just leave me a week ago. Right after Total and Akila's wedding. Right after I stared at Fang with love, thinking we would be together forever. Perfect.

I didn't even want to get out of bed this morning. For the first few days after Fang abandoned me—and the flock—I stayed cooped up in my room, hovering around his old laptop. Doing nothing. Just moping and having the occasional outbreak of cries that swiftly changed to pounding the life out of my pillow, desperate to rid myself of the intense anger.

But I soon remembered that the main reason Fang left was so I could be a better leader. And staying in bed all day, too miserable to show my tear-streaked face, was definitely the opposite of what Fang wanted me to do (though it baffled me as to why I even want to do what Fang says anyway).

So, I dragged my leader butt out of bed and affectionately poked my flock awake. They grumbled and kicked, which I expertly ignored. I took one look at Nudge's tear-splashed face and knew she had a rough night like me, and I struggled to swallow the tears.

Iggy didn't seem to want to cooperate this morning, as he pulled the covers disobediently over his reddish-blond hair, after one of my famously-annoying pokes. So I decided to annoy him even more today. Being a butt-head was my specialty.

"IGGY!" I promptly shouted in his ear. He didn't budge. "Ig," I poked him with my index finger again. "Iggy." Poke. Poke, poke, poke. "I will continue to poke you until you wake up."

Nudge had wiped the tears off her face and was now up-and-ready for a new day.

"Hey! Iggy!" She called, bouncing up and down on the foot of his bed. "How do you wake Lady Gaga up?" She asked smiling and hardly took a breath before she announced, "you p-p-p-poke her face, p-p-poke her face!" She giggled hysterically, delighted with her 'Poker Face' joke.

Iggy groaned at the pathetic joke, and said groggily, "All right! I'm up!" He rolled out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen.

Nudge and I snickered, and traded high fives.

I roamed into the girls' room and stepped over Nudge's pile of clothes—which she definitely needed to pick up soon (yeah right!)—and opened Angel's curtain on the other side of the room.

"Ange! Rise an' shine, kiddo!" I smiled, and then frowned. She wasn't there. I heard a toilet flush, and sighed with relief as I heard her feet patter into the bedroom.

"Already up," she announced unnecessarily. I gave her quick hug, and we trotted into the kitchen, where the Gasman—as unusual as it seemed—was already sitting at the table, waiting for breakfast. I ran my fingers through his blond hair, and grinned. "Morning, Gazzy. You're up early."

"I'm starving," Gazzy said. "What's for breakfast?"

"I'm hungry, too!" Nudge whined. Of course she was hungry. She always was. No shocker there.

"I don't know," I replied. "Ask Iggy." The fifteen-year-old blind bird kid was already heading over to the refrigerator. He could cook better than all of us combined.

As we said down to a delicious breakfast of Iggy's famous fried eggs, I thought about Fang. Again. I had to start the mission of finding him. In his letter, he said he didn't want to be looked for, because he knew he would give into my charms and come home. Which was the perfect scheme. And I was going to find him whether he wanted to be found, or not. Tough luck.

Angel's blue eyes met mine, as she read my thoughts. I sensed no anger in her blue eyes, but still wondered what was happening to her. She wanted my spot as the leader, and she was acting a bit more evil than usual. I mean, I knew her soul desire was to take over the world, one day. No biggie. No shock. But take my spot as leader? Heck, no! I loved Angel to death; she was like my little baby. But sorry sweetie. I'm the leader of this flock.

Now her sweet, baby-girl eyes hardened with anger. Would she try to control my thoughts? I instantly stiffened, waiting for her attack. But nothing happened. 'Course you can't be too careful with an evil, seven-year-old, mind-reading/controlling dictator in the room.

_Morning, Max_, greeted the Voice. _How are you this morning?_

_Just spiffy_, I told the Voice snidely, inside of my head. _My soul mate is still gone. Couldn't be better._

What? You don't have a Voice that greets you in the morning, and leads you on near-death experiences? Pft. That's just sad.

_You're still moping_, the Voice reminded me annoyingly_. Get the flock outside on another mission. It'll help both you, and them._

Uh huh, that's definitely what we need: another death experience to turn that frown upside down!

_Yeah? Will I magically see Fang appear out of nowhere and greet us with love? 'Cause otherwise I won't be happy, and both me and the flock know it_, I spewed angrily.

_Stop thinking about you_, the Voice said in a surprisingly sharp tone. Kind of depressing when a Voice inside your head gets sassy.

_And I know what you've been thinking. You don't have time to find Fang. Besides, you always have Dylan, _the Voice said.

_I don't want Dylan_, I snapped again. _And the flock is sick of running around on far-flung missions. They wanna stay put for a while. And I'm letting them. Case closed._

And I promptly plopped on the couch, to watch my favorite TV show.

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End of chapter notes: Well, that's it for right now! I tried to add as much of Max's famous sassiness as I could. Oh, and if you review, you all will receive virtual cookies! :D

I'll update ASAP!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I know, I know. It's been awhile. Sorry, everyone! Computer issues! But I've got chapter 3 ready too, so I'll post that today.

I still don't have a beta for this story (I've got two other amazing betas for different stories though! Thanks, girls! You rock!). But it'd be nice to have this story edited. I'm sure there are a lot of mistakes.

I'm kind of disappointed that chapter 1 didn't get a single review. I even cried a little (not really, but still). Please, at least one review? Preferably five? Pretty please? I need some criticism. Some hints. Some . . . love for this story? Or hate? Take your pick. ^-^

And without further ado, I give you *drum roll* chapter 2! :D

Disclaimer: Do I own MR? Hmmm. If I say yes . . . James Patterson sues me. If I say no . . . I stay out of jail. Hmmm . . . I'll go with NO! Did I win a prize? Hmmmm? ;)

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Two:**

ME AND THE REST OF OUR BIRD KID FLOCK batted our wings against the sharp wind as we traveled toward the carnival. I'd only been to a carnival once with—Fang. The rest of the flock hasn't been to an actual carnival before. Being locked in dog crates at the School with mad, evil scientists jabbing needles forcefully into your body kind of prevents any fun activities.

We would've still been in that torture chamber with the spawns of the devil if Jeb, a good and occasionally evil whitecoat, hadn't sprung us out. We lived with him until he left us two—nearly three—years ago. We were now taking the risk of starting up a new home in memory-lane Colorado. The Erasers had destroyed our other house, and supposedly the dangerous wolf mutants were alive and kickin' once more.

Though we are mutants ourselves, being 98 percent human and 2 percent bird. Right now, flying over the vast world, being a bird kid was almost enjoyable. We had extra-sensory senses and we were much stronger than the average man. We'd let the cat out of the bag months ago, and our mutation secret was a secret no more. We tried to dodge the press, but after my sweet little Angel threatened them with a gun at the latest showing—and even pointing the gun at _moi_, they were leaving us alone (long story; see book 6 for details).

I felt free as a bird—no pun intended—and our brief trip helped my inner turmoil lessen. I sighed with relief as I worked the muscles in my shoulders, which helped power my glorious, brown and white speckled wings.

The tension came flooding back when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and my muscles tensed involuntarily. I looked below me and saw a crew of smelly, wolf-faced Erasers shooting toward us. They were in a group of eight.

"Flock! Brace yourselves! Erasers are heading for the kill," I shouted, already in battle-mode. My flock bravely nodded, and Nudge had a fierce and somewhat scary look on her face. She looked ready to snap some losers' necks. That's my girl.

"Hello, little piggies! We're ready for dinner!" The head Eraser snarled, cackling menacingly. One of his wolf mutants stuck out his meaty hands, armed with flesh-ripping claws, and attempted to grab me round the neck. Wrong move, buddy.

I swiftly popped him one in the nose, and kicked him where it counts. He shrieked like a little girl, but quickly proceeded to snap his razor teeth at my face. Gazzy came from nowhere and slammed his hands onto the Eraser's furry ears, causing them to pop painfully. The Eraser screeched again, and I finished him off with a solid kick in the gut and a twist of his wings. I watched him fall to the Earth, like a dead weight rock.

The fight was hardly a match for us. They were goners from the moment we set eyes on them. My eyes raced along my flock, and I saw no major injuries. Iggy was sporting a black eye and a bloody nose. Poor guy. Why was he always the one to have a bloody nose?

By this point we were pretty much famished, so I decided to treat us to a lovely lunch of fast-food. We landed in the woods next to the restaurant and briskly streaked for the front door. I let the other kids order first, so I was practically jumping up and down when it was finally my turn.

"Hi," I greeted quickly, before the guy could even say 'How may I help you.' "I want three triple cheeseburgers, four things of fries, three apple pies, two chocolate shakes, one vanilla shake, and . . .," I contemplated, "why not—add a couple of cherry pies, just for the heck of it." I smiled at him, taking out a wad of cash before he could question me. "And that's definitely for here," I tagged on nervously, hoping he'd just give us a break and toss us the food.

He didn't argue, as if this was the most normal thing he'd ever done. What, six famished kids? Eh, no big whoop. As long as you got the cash, we got the food. Hey, works for me.

We all carried three, filled-to-the-brim trays over to a tiny table, and promptly stuffed our faces. Angel tried to be lady-like with her slices of pizza, but failed miserably, dripping sauce onto the floor in her mad hast to fill her mouth. The rest of us weren't doing so hot either. But we hardly cared.

Only when I saw pair of jeaned, muscled legs stop at our table, did I pry my eyes away from my tray and glance up at the dude waiting patiently at our table. I nearly gasped, my burger slipping out of my hands onto the tray. Dylan! What the hell was he doing here? His amused eyes met mine, and I hastily wiped ketchup off my mouth.

I attempted to muster up all my sassiness, and I blurted, "What do you want?"

He looked slightly stung by my greeting. "What, no hello? No, how have you been?" He asked sarcastically, and then chuckled. "That's so you, Max."

"Yeah, whatever. Answer my question!" I snapped. My face felt flushed as the words 'perfect other half' popped into my mind. But the evil whitecoats were wrong! The only one for me was . . . not here. He was—somewhere. Fang. My true love. My throat closed up and tears threatened to spill from my eyes—the eyes that were like unbarfed chocolate (see book 5 if you're wondering why the heck I'm talking about unbarfed chocolate).

"Well," he continued quite cheerily, "I'm here to hang out with you guys. D'you mind?"

"Yes, we do mind!" I shouted, right as the flock said, "Nope, we don't!" I glared at them, meeting their pleading eyes, before I said groggily, "Fine. Stay." Why the heck did they want Dylan here anyway? All he was good for was good looks. Extremely, heart-throbbing magazine-type good looks. And he was a great fighter. That could protect the flock, and I guess me. Crap. They had a really good reason.

"Er, where's Fang?" Dylan asked, sounding a little concerned. My heart twanged painfully as he said Fang's name. Tears pricked in my eyes again. My breath started to speed up, my palms getting clammy. The room started to spin. The flock looked at me with pity, sorrow crossing their features.

"He's—left," I choked out. Dang. When did I become such a cry-baby? I began to study my hands, as if they were the most interesting things in the world. I wanted to bolt from the room. Or at least proceed to stuff my face with burger, fries, and pie.

"Oh," he answered, now looking at me with sympathy. "Sorry." And he actually sounded it. Like he actually cared that my heart was broken. I mean, most guys would be thinking, 'Yes! Here's my chance! Get a girl on the rebound!' But Dylan looked truly apologetic.

I pushed money toward him. "Here. Get a bite to eat." He gave a weak smile of thanks, and walked toward the counter.

I wondered how long he would be staying with us.

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End of chapter notes: Don't forget! Review! Beta! All that jazz! Chapter 3: coming up next! :D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: See? I'm not a liar! Chapter three, up on THE SAME DAY! I rock, I know. :P

So, you readers keep your promise. Review please! And if anyone wants to beta THIS story, they are more than welcome. My other stories are being beta-ed by awesome members, so no worries on those.

Thanks and enjoy! ^-^

Disclaimer: I love the MR series. I truly do. But I can't be held responsible for genetic mutation. I'm too young to go to jail. So . . . I don't own any of these characters! ^^

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Three:**

"I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE," Iggy declared. Gazzy laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm rolling my eyes, Ig," I informed him, with a slight smile on my face.

Gazzy grinned, "Iggy, no offense, but you're _blind_. You can't _spy _anything!"

"But I can sense colors!" Iggy insisted. "I'd give it away if I put my hand on the object I 'spied' though." This was true. Iggy could sense colors by touching the object. And sometimes if we were around nature, and it was white, he could actually see again. Like if we were back in Antarctica. It was strange, but it was a pretty cool power he had.

We were currently flying toward the carnival, after filling our rumbling tummies. Dylan had an exhilarated look on his face, and I could hardly blame him. He wasn't really good at flying before—since he was only about nine months old—so he must be having the time of his life, now that I taught him how to fly (by pushing him off the roof. It was either he learned to fly then, or go splat onto the ground. That was a pretty good motive, if I do say so myself). Technically he was around nine months old, but physically he looked our age, if not more. It was hard to decide what age clones should be. He was cloned from another Dylan, and made to be my . . . perfect other half. Ugh.

We slowly folded our wings toward our bodies, getting ready for the sharp descend. I stretched my wings upward to avoid crashing into the ground, and landed on the balls of my feet. I almost didn't want to go to the carnival; it brought back too many painful memories.

"You know what," I began, clearing my throat. "I think I'm just gonna go fly around for a bit. The carnival ends at five, three hours from now. Catch you all later."

"But, Max! You can't! Have some fun!" Nudge whined, apparently trying to sound persuasive.

I shook my head. "Sorry, I'm just not in a very carnival-y mood. Be good, be safe. I'll meet you all here in three." I spread my wings again and prepared to take off.

"I'll come with you!" Dylan blurted, blushing slightly.

"No!" I nearly shouted. "I mean," I tried to rephrase as I caught Dylan's wounded expression, "I just—I, well—I just wanna be alone." I finished lamely.

"Please," he pleaded. "We need to talk." _No we don't_, I thought to myself.

_Max_, the Voice said. Ugh. Not this again. _Max, just see what he has to say. Maybe he really just wants to talk_, the Voice chided.

I remembered when the Voice said that before. About Fang. And it turned out he _didn't_ just wanna talk (see book 3).

_Oh yeah_, I thought snidely. _I'm sure he just wants to talk. Actually, in reality, he just wants to get friendly with Max! I've been through this before with you, and I'm not falling for it again!_ I finished with a huff.

_Alright_, the Voice agreed._ Then stay and watch the carnival. Because you know he'll just follow you. _

I sighed. The Voice knew me too well. It knew I didn't want to stay. _Fine_, I snapped. _You won this round_.

Voice: one; insane bird girl that hears a crazy Voice inside of her head: zip.

"Okay, let's go," I finally responded to Dylan, shooting into the sky. I went a bit too fast, attempting to out-fly him. Surprisingly he caught up quickly. Hmm, perhaps Mr. Perfect has learned how to fit in a bit too fast. I guess Dr. Hans (aka: Dr. Crazy) had boosted this kid's genes, to the max. Ha-ha, get it? 'To the max', kind of like the name Max? 'Cause my name is—ah forget it.

Dylan nodded toward me and pointed to a shaded tree. We landed quietly, and I swiftly sat down and rolled my head back against the base of the tree, feigning being tired. He wasn't fooled. He sat down, rather close to me, and began his speech.

"Max, I know you're heartbroken. And I truly am sorry. But, don't you think it's time to move on?"

I blinked, a bit stunned. "Move on? Dylan, Fang's only been gone a week! And he's the love of my life! I grew up with him, and he knows everything about me! I know everything about him! Every time I look in his eyes, he gives me that feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach. My hearts beats a bit faster, and the world spins a bit faster. I love him! And always will!" My voice had risen without me realizing it. My eyes probably had a wild look to them, and I wasn't sure why I was telling Mr. Model all of this in the first place.

He looked at me for a moment. Then he said, "I understand. But you and I are made for each other. Or rather I'm made for you. Literally! Can't you give us a chance?"

His Caribbean eyes burned into mine, and he had a determined look on his face. Oh gosh. I knew that look. He—he wasn't—he couldn't . . .

He leaned his face toward mine and whispered, "Max." Then his lips crushed down onto mine, his hands pressed against the tree behind me. My mind spun, and I was incredibly confused. His head moved slightly to the side, so his mouth could press closer to mine. Heat burst to my cheeks as one of his hands grasped the small of my back, and started sliding down.

A single tear escaped my eyes and rolled down my burning cheek. I wrapped my hands around him, and pressed closer to him, forgetting about anything and everything, except Dylan. And the kiss.

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End of chapter notes: Don't kill me! Please! I promise you, this is not turning into a Max/Dylan fic! We haven't even found Fang yet! Max is simply confused, and Dylan is . . . just Dylan. Not that I hate him, or anything, but this isn't his story.

Reviews are like chocolate to me. And that's saying a LOT. Everyone knows I love chocolate. So does that mean I love reviews? Yes. Yes it does. :D


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey, everyone! It's been a couple of weeks. Sorry! I just came back from a trip with my dad; it rocked! But now I'm working on my other stories and this one. Actually, the next chapters for **Let the Darkness Turn Bright **AND **It's Not a Diary!** is ready, but it needs to be beta-ed. They should be completely ready soon, though. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter and the next chapter. I'm submitting Chapter Five today! I know, I rock. ;)

Still need a beta for this story, so...if anyone is interested, please review or send a PM.

Disclaimer: Beep. I'm a robot. Beep. Just repeating myself. Beep. I don't own MR. Beep. Patterson does. Beep (That was weird, LOL. Feel free to make fun of me. :P).

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BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Four:**

"SUBJECT TWENTY-TWO HAS KISSED SUBJECT ONE," a tech—named Susie—of information announced. "There might actually be a future for these two."

"Excellent," the head of information said smugly. "I knew this experiment would be a success! I wonder when they get older, what type of offspring they will create? Perhaps a superior bird hybrid? Or will the hybrids be weaker? Only time will tell."

Tech Susie couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed as she watched the subjects kiss; was this invasion of privacy? After all, they weren't robots. Of course they had put the thought into Subject Twenty-two's head—to take the other Subject to the bugged tree. Yesterday they chose this tree to place the camera.

At Area 8 they had already seen the Subjects discuss a trip to the carnival, so they knew the approximate area to bug the tree. Tech Susie saw another silent tear fall from Subject One's eyes.

_Was she truly sad?_, the Tech wondered. Was it because that other Subject left them? Well, Tech Susie was sure that this Subject would soon forget her woes. After all, Subject Twenty-two was made specifically for her. She would be just fine. She was stubborn like that.

Tech Susie quickly switched off the camera when Subject Twenty-two tenderly rubbed Subject One's back as he deepened the kiss. _This is too private_, Tech Susie thought. _There's no need to be mean to the experiments. _

But the Tech had no idea what the other evil scientists had in store for these Subjects . . .

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End of chapter notes: I know this chappie was short, but the next chapter isn't _as_ short, so...

Chapter five, coming to a site near you! xD

Reviews + for me = chocolate. ^0^


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Yo! Kept my promise again! Two chapters in one day! Score! ^-^

I expect at least five reviews...for each chapter would be nice. ;)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Er, I don't really have a funny saying for this one. I'm running outta ideas...maybe I'll ask the voice inside of my head. His name is Carl. Hmm, he tells me I don't own MR. Bummer. ;)

P.S.: I'm not crazy. :P

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Five:**

MY EYES SNAPPED OPEN as I wondered how long this kiss had been. One, maybe two minutes? Wait. WHY ON EARTH AM I ALLOWING THIS? I roughly pushed Dylan away and he slid off me and onto his butt in the dirt.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I screamed, tears now streaming down my face. It was completely ridiculous to cry. I was Max—Max the leader, Max the tough girl, Max the girl that hardly ever cries. And now I was nearly sobbing. I brushed the tears away angrily, and pushed Dylan away when he tried to comfort me.

"Max, I thought—I just—ugh," he surrendered, and jumped into the sky, swiftly flying away as fast as he could. I had no idea where he was going. The carnival was to the east, and he was going west.

I sat back down in the dirt, and wondered where I should start looking for Fang. I had about 2 hours and 50 minutes. And I certainly didn't want to go searching in the west.

Sighing, I hopped onto my feet, sprung open my wings, and headed into town for the nearest payphone. Maybe my mom could give me an idea.

I landed out of sight from bystanders, and strolled as casually as I could to the phone booth. My heart was still pounding from what happened between me and Dylan, and I couldn't figure out why. I dialed Mom's number, anxiously hopping from one foot to the other, having a longing to hear my mother's voice. Her name was Dr. Martinez and she was the greatest mom a kid could ever have. She worked for the CSM, and was an amazing cook—especially when it came to her homemade chocolate chip cookies. Ella was her daughter, and my half sister. Unfortunately, Jeb was my father—he donated his genes for the test tube. But, he wasn't married to my mom. Thank you, God!

"Hello? Is this a sales call?" Mom asked suspiciously.

"No, silly. It's your brilliant, flying, cookie-loving daughter!" I teased. Partially teasing. I truly did fly—and if you didn't figure that out by now, you really need to re-read these last few pages—plus her cookies were to die for!

"Oh, hi Max! Oh, honey, I've missed you so much! You hardly ever call anymore, and I never see you! And I've just been dying to give you the biggest hug in the history of hugs," my mother gushed. "I have something to tell you, and it's really, really important. But first, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Actually," I started, hating having to ask her this. I should know where Fang was at, but I still wanted her opinion. And I wanted to know if she approved of me practically stalking the boy. "I was wondering if you know where Fang is?" I cringed, waiting for her answer.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I know exactly where he is, and I'm not sure if he wants me to tell you. But I'm telling you anyway." She said, her voice deadly serious.

"WHERE?" I shouted into the receiver.

She paused, cleared her throat, and said, "He's here."

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End of chapter notes: Whoa, cliffie! Sort of. You have to review to at least be mad at me, huh? ;)

Kidding. :P I don't like criticism in less it's about the story itself. Sorry. xD

Chapter six will be up soon! ^-^


	6. Chapter 6

A/N:

Me: *Walks into room with a cheesy grin on face* Heeeeyyy! *gets slapped* Whoa, what gives?

Max: You! You're finally _giving_ a chapter, after like, a month!

Me: *Scrambles away in shock* Where the hell did you come from?

Max: *Smirks and waves away question dismissively* Boy, wouldn't _you_ like to find out. Point is, I've been sitting on a cliffhanger for a looonnng time. So, it's pay-back time, missy. *raises bat*

Me: *Shrieks and covers head* WAIT! My grandpa went to the hospital for a lung problem! He's okay now, but still! And then school started, a-and I got homework! A-and my computer has been crappy! And then I got more homework! Then I got sick! And I have MORE homew-

Max: Just shut up and do the chapter and disclaimer already!

Disclaimer: Er, well, I don't think anyone would be crazy enough to try to own Max *is slapped again* except the author, so . . . *slap, slap, slap* Geez, Patterson, get a hold on your character! Chain her up, or something! *hears Max cackle*

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Six:**

ANGEL SHOVELED POPCORN IN HER MOUTH, watching the dancers as they floated across the stage. _I wish they'd invite me to dance_, she thought to herself. _I'd be amazing._

Angel focused on one of the dancers—who had a sweet, innocent mind that could easily be hacked into—and she told the girl to leap over to her, and ask her to join. The young dancer looked confused, her eyes were distant—as if she was in a different world—and she gracefully glided across the dance floor. She held out her hand to Angel, with a plastic-like smile on her face, and Angel smiled back at her, and hopped to her feet.

Angel caught the flock's surprised look, but ignored it. This was her time to shine. She remembered when she was back at Anne's house, and her and the flock were attending school. On the playground, her and her friends played Swan Lake, and she felt so graceful and beautiful.

Angel took a great leap into the air, spinning quickly, and landed with a low thud onto the ground. The crowd cheered as she pirouetted past all the other dancers—who looked stunned, and slightly envious—and Angel beamed her angelic smile.

Iggy whispered to Nudge, "What is Angel doing?"

Nudge's mouth was wide open, gazing at Angel. "Oh gosh, she's amazing! She's flying across the whole stage!"

Iggy groaned. "Please tell me she's not_ literately_ flying!"

Nudge hushed Iggy with an annoyed 'shh', for once not wanting to speak, and whispered, "No, she's just jumping into the air, and twirling around."

"Glad I'm not missing much," Iggy scoffed. "Though the crowd sounds pretty pleased."

"Yeah, and I would sound pleased too, if you'd let me watch the show!" Nudge complained.

Not even two minutes later, Gazzy poked Iggy and said, "I'm hungry."

Iggy rolled his eyes, shuffled through his wad of emergency cash Max left him, and handed some to Gazzy. "Have at it, kid. Just bring me, Nudge, and Angel, oh, a dozen hotdogs each back. Don't forget a tray of mustard, ketchup, and all that." The Gasman huffed, and slumped toward the food stands, already imagining the look on the attendant's face when he hauled back four dozen hotdogs—plus about a gallon of toppings.

* * *

End of chapter notes: It's kind of short, but I like it nonetheless. Probably one of my favorite chapters. I mean, c'mon! Who doesn't like Angel manipulating innocent minds? It's SO her! And I can just imagine Gazzy being up to his forehead in fast food! And . . . I'm going on and on about my writing, aren't I? Whoops. Sorry! Anyway, I'm gonna post the next chapter in, like, two seconds. So, hang on!

Please review this chapter (and chapters to come) though! And thanks for all the other reviews, everyone! :D


	7. Chapter 7

A/N:

Me: *Peeks around corner* Phew. No crazy Maxs around.

Max: *Sneaks around author and breathes down her neck* Oh, good, you're updating on the same day; just like you said. Lovely.

Me: *Jumps 10 feet in the air* GAH! B-but! Y-you! WHERE?

Max: *Shrugs* It's _your_ imagination. Beats me where you get all these weird ideas.

Me: *Blinks*

Max: STOP BLINKING! JUST GET ON WITH THE STORY!

Me: *Squeals and ducks* Yes, ma'am!

Disclaimer: Seriously. Max's insane ATM. I really, really don't want to own her series. *Shoves Max at James Pattinson* HERE!

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Seven:**

I LITERALLY COULDN'T BREATHE. My brain wasn't working well enough to put the need into an action. Finally my brain floated back into my body, and I gulped in heaps of air. Jeez, I was becoming such a drama queen.

"May I speak to him," I asked my mother in a strangely calm voice.

"Sure," she responded quietly, and I heard shuffling and a phone softly hitting a table. There were soft voices in the background, and eventually one deep and familiar voice overpowered the other, which caused my breath to speed. Man, one minute I couldn't breath and the next minute I'm hyperventilating? I'm such a freak—even worse than the normal bird kid freakiness.

"Hi, Max," Fang greeted into the phone. Could the world literally start swirling so fast I could get vertigo? But his voice rushed through my body, like an electric shock, that kept me firmly planted to the ground. His voice was a breath of fresh air. His voice was like food to a starving man. His voice was—gosh, again with the dramatics! I swear, I'm done now.

"Hey, Fang," I managed to squeeze out of my throat. There was an awkward silence.

"How're you and the flock? Are they there?" He asked, sounding curious. But seriously, was he actually asking how we were? How does he think? Lame, Fang. Simply lame.

My pause was too long. "Max, are you there?"

"Yeah, sorry," I blushed, though he thankfully couldn't see me. "And we're good." I lied. "The kids are at a carnival."

"That sounds fun," he said, his voice sounding strained. Clearly he was remembering our moments in Las Vegas. "Why aren't you watching it?"

"I . . . couldn't take it. It was . . . too much," I painfully admitted. Dang, I hate announcing my emotions. I hate emotions period. Anger, sadness, even happiness? They can all just go die in a hole (or a box; whichever they prefer). Love especially can die.

"Maximum, I'm so sorry," his voice sounded different, and emotion was buried deep within that simple sentence. It made my throat close up.

"I can't take it!" I exclaimed. "I can't take not seeing you! I can't stand the pain! I may seem like some tough, macho leader, but no one understands how I really feel. Except you. And maybe my mom."

"I know, it kills me too," Fang whispered through the phone. "But—"

"Fang, I love you!" I blurted. Heat quickly rushed to my face, and again I was glad he couldn't see me. I never got the chance to actually say those three words to him—except of course when he nearly died in Dr. Insane-Hans lab, but he was practically in a coma and couldn't hear me.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Finally he said, "Max, you know I love you too. So, so much. But I can't come back to the flock. We would be too focused on each other, and the kids would be left out, and something bad would happen."

"Can't I see you one last time," I muttered sadly. "Until the twenty years from now?" The number was so high, too high. Would it be possibly to stay away from him that long?

"You know something would happen. You really just need to get back to the carnival. What if something happens?"

"I think they'll be okay," I said. But it was probably a lie. "Please, Fang? Pleeeaaasssse!" I begged, throwing in a hint of pain in my voice. I just had to see him and give him a last goodbye.

"All right," he relented, but he didn't sound too sorry about it. He sounded a little less gloomy. "Come quickly." We hung up, and I burst out of the booth, and shot into the sky. 'Quickly' is my middle name.

* * *

End of chapter notes: It's a longer chapter, eh? I kinda like the dialogues between me and the characters, don't you? I got the idea from an awesome writer, _Kuann_. Like it? Hate it? Lemme know!

Oh, and I have big plans for this fan fic. I **don't** plan for them to see each other, hug, and never look at each other again for twenty years. I mean, yuck! C'mon! We need some Faxness! And this is kinda a cliffhanger, so sorry! Will update soon! Seriously, I have a plan now. It won't be a month.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N:

Me: While I wait for my other stories to be edited, I decided to update this one. Actually, I plan on updating once a week.

Max: Yeeeaaah. Like that would happen [Insert sarcasm here].

Me: Hey! I try! Really!

Max: Not hard enough! Do you need further encouragement? *raises fists and prepares to punch*

Me: GAH! NOOO! *runs for life*

Oh, and thanks for the reviews, guys and gals! I really appreciate them! To my anonymous reviewers: thank you as well! I wish I could actually reply to you, but I guess this will have to do. To Emma: I understand being enthusiastic about something; especially about something as wonderful as Chrissy's. And no worries, I don't think badly of you, per se. Your actions perhaps weren't the best, but we all forgive you, of course! Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is perfect, sweetie! Though for future reference, it might be best if you make reviews that pertain to the story; like, you can still apoligize and stuff, but try to include at least something about the story. :)

To MaximumAstridRide: I'm glad you like the story so far, and thanks for the review! *Tosses you a dozen of various cookies* Take care! :D

Sorry for the long author's note! On with the show!

Oh wait, one more thing. :P I noticed I wrote in the disclaimer that "Pattinson" owns MR not "Patterson." ROFL! My bad! My friend once said that it was funny how similar they seemed and how she got the two confused sometimes. Now she made me do it! Jeez, thanks a lot. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride! PATTERSON does! Not PATTINSON, lol.

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Eight:**

I ARRIVED AT MY MOM'S HOUSE in Arizona in less than five minutes. Mom opened the door, gasped loudly, and rammed into me and gave me the best hug in the history of hugs.

"Max, Max, Max, Max!" I heard a voice come from inside the house. Ella, my half-sister, came rushing outside and nearly took all of us down to the ground with her insane, yet loving, hug. Gosh, this family knew how to hug! I missed them so much.

I heard a low chuckle and peeked over the mound of hands and heads, only to have my heart fall into my throat. There he was: mysterious with dark, longish black hair and the darkest eyes that bore into mine—his loving stare. Fang. Oh my gosh, Fang.

My mom and sister let go of me, and I sprinted toward Fang, locking my arms around him. The receiving hug was gentle, yet strong. Had he gained more muscle?

"Hey," he smiled, after a long, comfortable silence. I didn't reply. I just grinned, my eyes raking over his face, drinking in his features. Seriously, it had only been a week, but still. I thought I'd never see him again. This was like heaven.

My mom cleared her throat, the noise sounding like she didn't want to interrupt, but that we should all move this party into the house. As I entered the house, I smelled the most heavenly scent (or rather the second most heavenly scent—Fang was the first). It was homemade choc-chip cookies. I quickly entered the kitchen, my stare falling onto the tray of cookies, and grabbed the biggest one. It melted in my mouth, and I moaned. She really was the best cook ever.

We talked about random stuff, such as how the flock was or if we had any trouble with Erasers, but my eyes hardly ever left Fang's face. Finally I felt bad about ignoring the rest of my family, and I shifted my eyes toward them. After about a half an hour, Mom and Ella decided to go watch a movie in the living room, but Fang and I decided to go for a short fly around the country-side.

Fang flew as close to me as possible. His dark, beautiful wings brushed against my brown-and-white speckled ones. Gosh, he was gorgeous. We didn't really talk about anything. We just flew, enjoying the feel of the wind in our feathers and each others' company. We already talked about all the important stuff at Mom's house. After forty minutes of aimless flying, we went back to my mom's house. I was surprised to see no one was home.

Then I saw a note, and my heart sank. I hate notes! But my fear was stupid, because the note only said they got bored of the movie and decided to go to the store. Ella and Mom would be back soon.

Fang and I shrugged and plopped down on the couch, flipping on the TV.

"The flight was nice," Fang said conversationally.

"Yup," I replied, glancing at him. Hmm, we hadn't even kissed yet. I kind of missed that, but I was almost afraid to kiss him. I wasn't scared of him or his response—because if he had any sense at all, the response would be a contented sigh—but, I was frightened that it would be that much harder to leave. To never see him again. For twenty years . . .

Fang seemed to sense my sorrow, because he leaned closer to me, placing my head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head, and then stroked my hair. I couldn't take the suspense anymore.

I roughly grasped him and pressed my lips hard against his. He responded quickly, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me closer. We fell onto the couch, embracing and muttering quietly to each other. The kisses were very passionate, due to the fact we were both deprived of each other.

He hungrily kissed my neck, his hands at the small of my back. I twined my legs with his, pressing as close to him as possible. I could feel his muscles beneath his shirt. My heart was beating out of my chest, my palms turning slick. I felt a blush creep across my face when he brushed his hips against mine; I responded by tasting the interior of his mouth. Finally we broke apart, gasping and staring at each other. This was probably the most intense make-out session we've had in a long time.

A realization suddenly hit me in the chest, hard, practically taking my breath away. I wanted to be with him forever. Now, I know what you're thinking: you've always wanted to be with him, Max! What are you talking about?

Well, this was different. I wanted to marry him. I wanted to be able to kiss him like this whenever we wanted to. And no, nothing else besides kissing. I wasn't ready for anything more, and I could tell Fang wasn't either. Probably. Maybe. At least I hoped not.

I just wanted to be assured that he was mine, and I was his—forever. I didn't want the pain of being away from him any longer. But this would be hard for the flock. Not to mention the fact that we are too young to get married. My mom would kill me. Ella would be shocked. The flock would be . . . I don't know what they'd be. But it certainly wouldn't be elated.

"What are you thinking about?" Fang murmured, stroking my face. I blushed deeply, a bit shy to admit my thoughts and feelings.

"About marriage," I admitted anyway. His eyes widened, but quickly went back to normal. That's my Fang. Always the man to contain his surprise.

"Really," he asked, as if it was the most normal conversation for two fifteen-year-olds to have. "Any particular couple you're thinking about?" He smiled coyly.

Perfect, now he was making fun of me. "Oh, yes. Me and Sam. Didn't I tell you? We're getting married. I'll send you an invitation and gift request list, when the time gets closer." I teased, laughing and kissing the palm of his hand. He laughed too, but his eyes looked a bit wary.

"Fang, it's just a joke. A bad joke, but a joke nonetheless." My kisses began to move from his hand to up his arm. Sam was a guy I went out on a date with back at the school Anne forced us to go to. He was the first guy that kissed me (though technically not my first kiss because I kissed Fang in book one), but it hardly mattered anymore. Fang was the only one I wanted. Then I remembered Dylan and the kiss he gave me over an hour ago.

I shuddered with disgust at the memory, and Fang asked, "What's wrong?" His dark eyes seemed to look within my soul. I was almost convinced he already knew. But I wasn't going to say anything.

"Nothing," I replied as nonchalantly as I could muster. Fang didn't buy it.

"Tell me," he demanded.

"Um . . . no."

"Tell me."

"Nope."

"The more you say no, the more I'll ask," he tried to trick.

"The more you ask, the more I'll say no," I countered, not falling for it.

He looked at me with pleading eyes, which nearly melted my bones. The cheater. "Please tell me."

I groaned. "Fine." I shuffled around for a little bit, adjusting my position, scratching my head, among other time-wasting actions.

"I'm growing old, here," Fang complained.

"Alright," I chuckled. The smile left my face as I said, "Dylan kissed me."

* * *

End of chapter notes: How will Fang react? Take a guess! I'll try to get the next chapter up next week! Do me a favor and tell me what you think of the story so far! It'll work in your favor too! Frozen custard for all! :D


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: DON'T KILL ME!

Max: Why not? *pulls out .22 Caliber*

Me: *Cringes*

I'm really, really sorry, readers. My computer bit the dust, and I had to transfer all my data to a different computer. Unfortuntely it's not new, so it runs kinda slow, but all well. At least it works. Also, school's been kicking me in the butt, so I've been really busy. Forgive me?

I promise, promise, PROMISE one thing: I will not quit any of my stories. It might take me a while to update, but I will not EVER quit. That much I can promise.

OMG, thank you all SO much for the reviews! Most of them were begging for an update, and I'm really sorry it took so long! :/ I don't take long on purpose, time just got away from me, and computer issues.

Anyhoo, on with the show! :)

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Nine:**

FANG STARED AT ME, his eyes were shocked. I looked past his shoulder, staring at the wall, apparently trying to burn a hole in it. When I finally got the courage to look at Fang again, I wished I hadn't. He looked furious. But luckily it seemed he wasn't mad at me.

"I'm going to kill him," he said simply, but the words burned with rage. I never usually saw this side of Fang, and it really scared me. Well, I saw it when we fought Erasers and Flyboys. But it was hardly ever directed at anyone else. Especially one of us bird kids.

I didn't really know what to say (there's a change!), so I stayed silent.

"Did you enjoy it?" He asked, surprising me. Hmm. Did I enjoy it? I nearly snarled at myself. Of course I didn't! Fang is the only one I'd ever want to kiss me!

"No," I answered, my voice strong and determined. Apparently Fang believed me, because he brought his lips onto mine again.

A little while later, Mom and Ella came back, and Fang and I were in a more appropriate position. We were sitting on the couch instead of laying snuggled together—though we were still very close to each other—and we were watching some documentary about elephants.

"Hey, guys," Ella smiled, as she took a seat on the other side of the couch. I scooted over to her direction, wanting to give her my attention. Even though we only shared half the same DNA, I felt a closer bond than that. Like we were full-blood sisters.

I beamed back at her. Fang gave a small smile too. He wasn't as comfortable hanging out with humans as I was, but he was trying. And I knew he'd be sad if anything happened to them.

"Hi, Ella," I said, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too," she said sadly.

"How's school?" I asked, switching off the TV so I could hear her better.

"Amazing," she said with a happy sigh. Uh oh. It seemed hard to believe that she was _that_ happy about school work.

"Is something going on?" I curiously inquired.

She looked a little bashful, and she glanced at Fang. I guessed that she didn't want to talk about this in front of him.

"Can we go in my room to talk about this?" She whispered to me. I nodded, gave Fang an 'I'll be right back' look, and followed Ella to her room.

"What's up, Ella?"

She grinned, sitting down on her beanbag chair. "I'm dating a boy. Do you remember Shaw Akers? The boy that asked me to the Christmas dance?"

I vaguely remembered her mentioning it before I got my chip taken out of my arm. Oh yeah. He was that 'seriously, amazingly adorable' guy.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. Did you manage to go to the Spring Fling together?"

"Yup," she replied dreamily. "And he kissed me for the first time last week." Her eyes closed, and I could tell she was caught up in the memory. "It was actually my first kiss ever," she divulged, blushing again. "Wow, he's an amazing kissing. Seriously amazing."

"I know the kind," I said, sitting down on her office chair.

She raised her eyebrows. "I bet you do, Miss All-Over-Fang-When-Me-And-Mom-Go-To-The-Store. I'm glad you finally told us you two aren't siblings, or else I'd be a bit concerned."

I pinched her softly in the arm. We both laughed.

"Is it hard for you? Being away from him," she asked seriously.

My throat closed up, and I swallowed. "Very hard. I really . . . love him."

"Have you told him?" She looked at me solemnly.

I took a breath. "Well, he told me in a letter. And we told each other over the phone. We should really tell each other face-to-face, huh?" There was a knock on the door. Our heads swiveled toward the door, and Ella stood up to open it. Fang was standing at the threshold, and my heart lurched up my throat.

Ella side-stepped. "Come in, Fang." She left the door open, and said, "I'll be right back." She looked at me pointedly, and swiftly walked down the hall.

Fang didn't shut the door—since it wasn't our room, and we apparently wouldn't spend too much time in here—and he looked around Ella's room. He probably hadn't been in here before. I guessed he didn't think it was too special, because his eyes immediately went to my face.

"You've been here about two hours and forty-five minutes," he said, sitting by my feet, and leaning his head against my knees. "I'm gonna have to leave here with you."

I was stunned. Was he coming back to live with us? He diminished my hopes by saying, "I'm going to have to find a new place to live. I can't put your mom and sister in danger."

My heart sank. "Are we seriously going to have to wait twenty years before we see each other again?"

"I don't know," he murmured. "I don't want to. But if it's what's best—"

I had gotten up and scrambled into Fang's lap, throwing my arms around his neck to kiss his mouth fiercely. My hands roamed through his thick mass of black hair, and his arms wound around my waist. No sooner than I started the kiss, I regretfully ended it. I didn't want anyone coming into the room and seeing us like this.

"I love you," I whispered. "So much."

"I love you too, Max." He brushed the hair out of my eyes, looking very sincere.

We got to our feet and walked into the living room, where Ella and Mom were sitting on the couch, the TV turned on again. "I'm going back to the flock now," I announced sadly. "They're waiting at the carnival. And Fang is . . . leaving too. Going his separate way." I wasn't able to say anymore.

Immediately I was showered with hugs and words like 'we'll miss you' and 'do you really have to go so soon?' Fang shook both of their hands, before he was surprised with tons of hugs. He patted them awkwardly on the back too.

"You both could stay longer," Mom pleaded. "Max, you could bring the flock."

Fang and I shook our heads. "It is too dangerous for you two," Fang replied. "But thank you so much. For everything."

Finally we shuffled out the door, and Fang and I looked at each other. He startled me by ramming into me, kissing me again. I tried not to think that this might be our last kiss. We snapped open our wings and leaped into the air, waving to my mom and sister. We took one final look at each other, and went our separate ways. I couldn't stop the flowing tears.

* * *

End of chapter notes: Since I took SO long to update, I'm gonna post the next chapter. :)

I always appreciate reviews, btw. ^^


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Next chapter, as promised! :) Enjoy!

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BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Ten:**

I DIDN'T TRAVEL AS FAST AS BEFORE, because big, fat tears were swirling in my eyes, causing me to be momentarily blind. I finally arrived at the carnival a few minutes before it would end. I waited by the entrance, peering over the security guards, and nearly had a heart attack.

Angel was balancing on a thin, extremely breakable tight rope. I stifled a scream, and pushed past the guards, who angrily protested and began to run after me. What was that crazy little girl thinking? Her wings were still fairly tiny, and would she be able to open her wings before she fell to her death? My worries were diluted when I saw a giant webbed net sprawled underneath her, ready to catch her if she slipped. But still! What is going through that kid's head?

I had already sunk into the cheering crowd, practically invisible to the guards. They wouldn't notice me. I found Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy stuffing their faces with hotdogs. Paper containers were strolled around their little corner, which were streaked with ketchup and mustard. Did they buy dozens of hotdogs and not leave me one? I surveyed the mess. Guess not.

They were stuck in a trance—except for Iggy, who looked a little peeved—just staring at the ground. They comically ate a bit of hotdog at the same time. I sat down next to them, and tapped Iggy on the shoulder. He didn't even look up.

"Hey, Max," he mumbled through a bite full of sandwich. "How was your flight?"

I was silent for a moment. "Interesting . . ."

Now he looked at me, approximately staring past my shoulder. "What happened?"

I really didn't want to talk about it in front of the kids, so I told him, "I'll tell you later."

Iggy nodded. I didn't want to tell the others about Fang, because they might get their hopes up, thinking he would come back. Iggy knew better . . . Fang wasn't coming back.

The show ended, and the crowd was shouting and clapping their hands, as if Angel was the most exciting acrobat they'd ever seen. Which she probably was. She came back gliding toward us with an exhilarated look on her face. She greeted me, and quickly her smile turned to a frown when she saw my disproval.

"Angel," I began, "What if something happened to you? What if you had to use your wings in front of everyone? You would've blown our cover, and the rest of the flock wouldn't be able to see the show. Don't you think that's a bit selfish?"

She glared at me. "I knew what I was doing! Besides, what do you care? You missed the whole show, and you didn't even see how amazing I was!"

"I didn't see how amazing you were either," Iggy said with a straight face.

Angel ignored him. "Whatever, Max. Let's just get out of here."

For once I agreed with her. We quickly strolled out the door—mercifully the guards didn't recognize me—and I called, "Up and away," as we gracefully leaped into the air, flying back toward our home.

* * *

End of chapter notes: I'm not sure when I'll update next, but I'm sure it'll be soon, since our Thanksgiving break is coming up. I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter - sorry - but I have something exciting planned for the next chapter. Lemme know what you think of these chapters! Thanks for your patience! :)

P.S. I'll try to update my other stories sometime during break, too.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N:

Max: *sitting in a tree, tapping foot; spots Kiki* YOU!

Me: AHHH! Max! I . . . uh . . . I'm sorry. My life has been pretty crazy, Max. Surely you of all people can understand that! And you've been to school once or twice; you know how strange that place is and how horrible things can get.

Max: Yeah, but have you been waiting in suspense for over SIX MONTHS?

Me: *gulp* No. But then again, neither have you. What about the seventh book called ANGEL? It was pretty good, but geez, what's the deal with you, Fang, and Dylan? This entire plot is nearly ruined because of that little stunt.

Max: *eyes start blazing, hands curl to fists* You think this is easy? YOU THINK I LIKE THIS?

Me: . . .

Anyway, so I really apologize about the long delay. About ANGEL, I have mixed feelings about Fang and Dylan. However, I still kind of believe Fang would be best for Max, despite the fact that Max and Dylan are "soul mates", and considering Fang and Max have been together and friends for so long. If anyone wants to discuss the most recent book with me, feel free to PM!

By the way, even though this fanfic is based before ANGEL, **would you all like me to continue this fanfic? **Your input is crucial to the continuation of the story, so even if you are not a member, please leave a review telling me whether you want me to continue or not. **I have several more chapters layed out**, but the decision is up to you.

Disclaimer: Am I James Patterson? Hmmm I don't think so, or else I've been quite mistaken about my gender for some time now.

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BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Eleven:**

I WAS SPRAWLED OUT ON THE COUCH, underneath a ragged blanket, with tears rolling silently down my cheeks. The rest of the flock was in bed. I just felt like staying here for a while. We had just finished a movie, and I was too depressed to get up. A popcorn bowl was on the ground next to the couch, and I shuffled my hand into it, grabbing a few buttery pieces and shoving them in my mouth. _Life sucks sometimes_, I thought wryly to myself.

I was vaguely thinking about going to the freezer to grab a carton of Ben & Jerry's, when a tall shadow walked down the hallway. It was Iggy.

"'Sup, Max," he whispered. How he knew it was me, I didn't know. Maybe he popped in my room, heard no breathing, heard me shuffle around some popcorn, and decided it was me. Regardless, he was kind enough to know something was wrong and come to comfort me. Or maybe he was heading to the kitchen to get ice cream too. Either way, I was glad to see him.

"Mmm," I mumbled, "Just laying here. Eating popcorn."

"I'd say I could see that, but then again, I'm blind. So that wouldn't work. But what I meant was what's wrong?" He asked, ending his statement sounding concerned.

"It's about what happened when you all were at the carnival." I replied, popping more popcorn in my mouth. He waited for me to continue.

"I saw Fang today," I said so softly that anyone without raptor hearing wouldn't have heard it.

His eyebrows rose. "Really? Where was he?"

"My mom's house."

He looked down at the ground, probably thinking of what to say next. "This is probably a stupid question that I already know the answer to, but is he—"

"He's not coming back, Ig," I sniffled. "We probably won't see him again for another twenty years."

Iggy snorted, and I turned to him in surprise. He began talking before I could even ask him what the hell was so dang funny. "I doubt Fang could even stay away from you for a year. And even if he did want to wait until the rest of the flock was gone to come back to you, it wouldn't be more than ten years. After all, Angel's the youngest of the group, and she'd be fine on her own at age seventeen."

His speech was thoughtful, but the words 'ten years' still put a lump in my throat. That was still a really long time. "But, Iggy," I whispered, "How would he even find me? He's probably already two states away from here by now. In ten years, he could be anywhere!"

Iggy was already shaking his head before I even finished. "Max, Fang could be over the mountains and the sea, and he'd—someway, somehow—still find you. Don't worry about it. And please," he concluded, patting my head, "Go to bed and get some sleep!"

I heard a bang, and a low curse coming from beside my window. Quickly I sat up in bed, my heart pounding so hard I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. The window slowly slid itself open, and I sprung out of bed, my knees practically knocking together, and a dark figure snaked into my bedroom. I coiled to spring, and immediately stopped when I realized who it was.

It was Fang.

"Hey," he smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he said, noticing my shaking and clutched fists.

My heart melted.

Ugh, _my heart melted_? Seriously? What cheesy movie did I hear that one from? Ah well. It was obvious how much I loved Fang, so you readers are just gonna have to deal with a bit of cheesiness.

"Fang," I whispered. "What are you doing here?" My mind was all scrambled, and I couldn't figure out why he was torturing me again. Torturing _us _again. Though our last goodbye seemed a little brief.

"I—I don't really know, actually," he answered truthfully. "I just thought . . . that maybe we deserved a better goodbye. But, if you want me to leave now, I completely understa—"

His words broke off as my lips fervently crushed down on his. His hands laced into my hair, and he kissed me back. And although this kiss should have waked up my senses better, I was still thoroughly exhausted. I swayed a little, and nearly fell on my butt before Fang gently grabbed my shoulders and lowered me down on the bed.

I was a bit disappointed that our kiss goodbye was so quick, but I quickly understood I was mistaken. Fang slid onto the bed, and twisted his legs with mine. He grabbed my thigh, hiking it around his waist, and resumed to kiss my neck. My face was burning deeply. My whole body was burning deeply. Especially when one of his hands inched higher and higher up my leg.

Our kisses were sloppy, sweet, and . . . determined. Like we were promising ourselves that we would see each other soon. He broke away from me, both of us gasping, and he shocked me again by tenderly cupping my face with one of his rough hands. He looked into my eyes, and the private message said he loved me. I knew my eyes told him the same thing.

But enough with all this mushy stuff. The main thing was the words rushing through my head. Where ever he went, would he be okay? What if an Eraser showed up, and started beating the crap outta him? What sassy leader would be there to defend his back? Could we meet sometime and hang out together—just for a few hours?

But I knew that last question was completely _out_ of the question. It seemed that the moment I ever left the flock, something bad happened. Except for earlier today. Which was very odd . . .

Oh gosh. I sighed contently as Fang pressed himself closer to me. He definitely knew how to distract me from myself—from my painful thoughts. I felt every crease in his muscled body; his warm lips moving in synch against mine. My heart raced, blood racing in my ears, and warmth gathered in the pit of my stomach. His hands crept up my shirt, pulling me closer toward him. How could we possibly get closer than we already were? Without, you know, taking off our—

And then we fell off the bed with a loud crash. I suppressed an 'ouch' when Fang fell on top of me. He made no move to get off of me. My breathing sped again when our lips touched. Fang was so close; I could feel his body heat rolling off him. I barely heard the door creak open. I was too absorbed.

But the shriek of surprise that pierced the darkness jarred my memory.

* * *

End of chapter notes: Pretty romantic, huh? ;) Anyway, lemme know if I should continue this fanfic or not in a review! Thanks everyone!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N:

Me: I'm back with another chapter! Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! Without your encouraging (and slightly demanding ;]) comments, I wouldn't be continuing and eventually finishing this story. Thanks again!

Max: Pssh, don't be so full of yourself. I'm the one doing all the work around here!

Me: Okay, Max. Well enjoy, guys! :)

Disclaimer: I'm not in a very clever mood, so I'll just say this: I don't own the Maximum Ride series.

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Twelve:**

FANG AND I DISTANGLED OURSELVES and gazed up at the bird girl that had screamed. It was Nudge. She fell to the ground, ignoring our panting, and threw her arms around Fang.

"Fang! Ohmigosh, you're back! We missed you! Why didn't you wake us up? We don't care about sleep! Heck, we don't even need sleep! But, we've been dying to see you. Why did you leave, Fang? I mean, you might think it's better for the flock, but it's, like, completely not better for us! Where have you—"

Fang finally clasp a hand over her mouth, which brought a relief to my pounding head.

"You're gonna wake everyone up, Nudge," he replied with a smile. "And I missed you too. I don't want to wake everyone up, because you do need your sleep. I left, because—because it _is_ for the best. For the rest of the flock," he whispered, throwing me a 'but not best for us' glance.

"I've been at Dr. Martinez's house. And," he continued, taking in both Nudge's and my hurt look, "I'm not staying." He looked sad, and added in an even lower tone, "I'm so sorry."

Nudge looked like a train hit her. She had cried every night after Fang left. She loved him like he was her favorite older brother. I watched the display of emotions rake over her face: excitement at seeing him, surprise, pain, sisterly love, more pain, and tons of hurt.

We were all still on the floor, and we rose unsteadily to our feet. Fang's wish for the flock to stay asleep was a complete and utter waste. They came charging in to see what all the commotion was. It was really a sight to see—Gazzy and Angel's frozen in state of shock—and I would've laughed if Fang's reminder that he couldn't stay hadn't depressed me so much.

Almost immediately Angel rammed into Fang, shouting his name, and giving him a rather fierce hug for such a small girl. Iggy understood immediately, and both guys smiled and slapped high fives with Fang. None of them noticed Nudge's, Fang's, and my sad eyes.

* * *

End of chapter notes: I'll be back with more soon! ^^


	13. Chapter 13

A/N:

Me: Lalalalala. *skips* La. La.

Max: *tackles* YOU!

Me: AGHH! Max! Er, uh, hey? Yeah, I've got another chapter.

Max: Is it depressing? *bends author's thumb backwards* Tell me. Now!

Me: OWWW! I-I don't know, you'll have to see for yourself!

Max sure is aggressive. Anyhoo, thanks for the reviews, guys! Here's another chapter! ^^

Disclaimer: Max is tame. Max is not aggressive. I own the series. Notice anything? All these statements are not very true. So, I truly don't own the Maximum Ride series; James Patterson does.

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

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**Chapter Thirteen:**

I FELT LIKE A TERRIBLE PERSON. Actually, I _was_ a terrible person. I should have never gone to Mom's house and saw Fang. Now he felt like he had to come back and see me, which made the flock feel hopeful. Then Fang had to crush their hopes by telling them he wasn't staying. Then they all argued. Then the girls cried. Then they all punched each other. Now they're finally passed out in their beds. Except Iggy, Fang, and I.

"Fang," Iggy said quietly, "Why'd you do this to us?"

Fang stared at the ground, rubbing a spot on his arm where Gazzy had attacked him.

"It's not like I wanted to hurt you all."

I shifted on the couch, and said, "It's not Fang's fault. I went to see him. He wanted to come back and say goodbye to me. We didn't expect any of you to even see him."

Iggy sighed. "Well, putting the blame on someone isn't going to solve anything. But seriously, guys. The flock's all heartbroken about this. What are you going to do?"

Fang and I looked at each other. It was quiet. Finally I spoke up, my leader-mode kicking in. "Fang, stay here till morning. Stay for breakfast. Re-explain to the flock why you have to go. Then . . . leave. I hate it, but it's true. We're too concentrated on each other when we're together. And I would leave, but the girls need me during this time in their lives. Fang, we can see each other again. Like, in . . ." I gulped. "Ten years."

Fang looked really dejected. "Alright, Max."

Iggy got up from the couch. "Well, that was depressing. I think I'll go to bed now. See you both in the morning." He went down the hall. I heard a door shut.

Fang kissed my forehead, and got up. He started to go into his room, but I tugged on his arm. "Stay with me. I don't want to have a nightmare. I'm sick of them."

His eyes softened, and he held my hand, rubbing circles in the middle of my palm. "Alright, Max."

* * *

I snuggled against Fang's chest, sighing contently, half asleep. He shifted beside me, and wrapped his arms tighter around me. I felt his lips press against the top of my head. Ugh. That felt nice, but I can't sleep when he's kissing me. I blinked my blurry eyes, and gazed up at him. He was staring at the ceiling, and then he looked down at me.

"Hey, Max," he greeted, kissing my head again. I looked at the clock. Yuck, three o' clock in the morning? It's too early to be up!

"Fang," I moaned, "You woke me up! Stop kissing my head."

"Sorry," he mumbled, pulling away from me.

I clutched him closer, remembering this was our last night together. I could handle one night of no sleep. "Well, since I'm already up . . ." I muttered against Fang's ear, kissing his cheek.

He turned toward me, responding to my embrace, and kissed my lips. I pulled him on top of me, and slipped my hands up the front of his shirt. Mmm, his chest felt nice. He slipped his tongue inside my mouth, deepening our kiss.

We pulled apart. "Talk to me. Say anything. If this is the last time we're going to be together for the next ten years, I want to hear your voice." I begged, completely forgetting my Maximum Ride toughness.

"I love you, Maximum Ride," Fang whispered, brushing his lips gently across mine.

"Keep going," I pressed.

"Keep complimenting you and telling you how much I care about you?" He teased, his hands brushing against my folded wings.

I shrugged. "Whatever you want to talk about. If talking about how amazing I am makes you happy, please continue."

He chuckled. We continued talking, having our last night together. I tried to push away the thoughts of how depressing my life would be once he left.

* * *

End of chapter notes: No. This is NOT the end. I've still got plenty in store.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N:

Max: Am I going to have to punch the lights outta you? Cuz it seems like this is gonna be a sad chapter, and I hate those kinds of chapters.

Me: But don't things have to get worse before they get better? If you punched my lights out, I wouldn't have the chance to make things better, right?

Max: Hmm, I regret to say that you have a point. Proceed. With caution.

Haha anyway guys, I don't have any other chapters planned after this, so it might take me a little longer to update, especially since I've been getting busier. BUT I WON'T QUIT THIS FAN FICTION! I promise I will finish it.

Disclaimer: It's nearly midnight, so I'm not feeling all that clever; I'll just say that I don't own Maximum Ride, and we can go on our merry ways. ;)

* * *

BROKEN WING: A MAXIMUM RIDE FAN FICTION

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen:**

"BREAKFAST!" Iggy yelled, jarring me from my peaceful dream. I was dreaming about the kisses Fang and I shared. It was a nice dream. But nothing compared to the kiss I was receiving right now from him.

Fang sat us up in a sitting position—brushing hair out of my face—before getting off the bed, pulling me with him.

"Lovebirds! Get in the kitchen before all the blueberry pancakes are gone!" Iggy shouted to us. We probably would get heck from the flock about Fang staying in my room . . . if this wasn't Fang's last breakfast he was spending with us.

Fang went into his room to grab his backpack of clothes. We both sat down at the table to be served delicious pancakes from our favorite cook: Iggy.

"BONJOUR, BIRD KIDS!" I heard a voice boom from the front door, before seeing a furry head brush through the doggie door. "We're back from the beautiful city of Paris! Ah, the city of lights, the city of love!" Total was jabbering away, while his bride was struggling to get through the doggie door. I heard Akila huff indignantly before backing out of the door to try and get through again.

Wait. If the dogs are here . . . they had to come back from their honeymoon in Paris on a plane, right? So that means . . . oh no! It couldn't mean that he decided to visit us! Is it—?

"Hello, Maximum. Hello, Fang, Iggy, and children."

It is. It's Jeb. Man, can that guy ever leave us alone! Wait. Who's that behind Jeb? What? Dylan!

"Hi, Max," Dylan smiled crookedly, giving me a not-so-subtle wink. Apparently he was over my rejection.

Fang's eyes hardened. I brushed my hand against his, letting him know that Dylan had nothing on him. I loved Fang, not Dylan.

"Jeb. Dylan," I greeted them rather coldly before turning a smile toward the Total and Akila—who had finally been let inside the door by Jeb. "Hey, Total and Akila! Did you two enjoy your honeymoon?"

"Oh, it was incredible there!" Total perked up. "Akila and I had a wonderful time. We saw all the popular sights, ate all the popular foods. The city of lights, the city of love, Paris! Did I already say that? Ah well. Gosh, what a place! Akila, dear, we should visit again soon. Next time we have to tour the . . ." Total continued to ramble, almost beating Nudge's record. Soon we might have to have the Total Channel; all Total, all the time.

Soon Total was shoveling his face in a plate of pancakes; his rear in the air—tail wagging insanely. Of course, he was sitting on a chair, with his paws propped on the table. The King of the Mutts couldn't risk his dignity by eating like a _normal_ dog on the floor. But how normal is a talking dog, anyhow? Eh, I digress.

Angel was twirling her finger in her cup of syrup absentmindedly, and I gave her my signature Max Look. She childishly stuck her tongue out at me, before returning to stab her pancakes with a sticky fork. But hey, she's only seven. I let a cute little girl slide.

Fang was staring at me, his eyes smothering me and shining with love. I knew he cared about me; I just _knew_ it. And he knew I felt the same way. But we can't continue to be together while the flock needs me.

Total stuck his head out of his plate, and glanced at Fang. "I know you two are an item and all, but you guys are staring at each other like you're never going to see each other again."

Fang and I turned our attention to Total. Oh. That's right. Total and Akila have been on vacation all this time; they didn't even realize Fang left in the first place. I mean, come on people! They're dogs! How could they update themselves about the recent news when they're on another continent? Email? Climbing into a mailbox? Aha, I just had a mental picture of Total vs. the Mailbox. The Mailbox won. That's gold.

Anyway, Angel—with her sad, Bambi-like eyes—looked over at Total, sending him a message telepathically, no doubt telling him that Fang was leaving for about a decade. I watched as Total's eyes widened, and he fell off his chair, crumbling into a heap on the floor.

"WHYYYY?" He cried dramatically, breaking into hysterical sobs. It was strange—yet pitiful—to see a dog crying. It's not really something you can explain. But it made tears prick in my eyes.

Then the Scottie leaped into Fang's lap, bawling his eyes out. He tugged on Fang's sleeve with his teeth, and whimpered, "How could you do this to us, Fang? The flock needs you! Max needs you! _I_ need you! Who's gonna carry me when my wings get tired? I don't feel very safe with Iggy—he's blind, after all!"

"Hey!" Iggy scoffed indignantly. "I think I'm strong enough to carry a puny, melodramatic mutt, thank you very much!"

"Oh, the tragedy!" Total continued to whine, ignoring Iggy completely.

Fang awkwardly patted Total's fur, attempting to subdue the frenzied dog. Akila was hovering under the table, looking solemn. She gently bumped her nose against Total's leg, politely and silently telling him to get a grip.

"You're right, m'dear. I must stay strong. For you and the children." Total sniffed, hopping down from Fang's lap.

Everyone in the room pivoted their heads toward the dogs. Angel spoke up quietly, "Um, Total? Did you say children?"

"Oh, it's just an expression." Total said dismissively.

I heard the crowd sigh in unison. No one needs a litter of tiny little Totals running amuck. I could already imagine the migraines . . .

Fang wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into a hug. I felt my throat close as I hugged him back, and I once again had to fight back tears—a very un-Max-like reaction. He had to leave already?

"I'll miss you guys," Fang said, picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. Instantly the flock threw themselves at him, pulling him into a tight bird hug. Everyone, even Iggy, was sniffling and wiping at their eyes.

"Fang, you're such a great person! Do you really have to go? We'll miss you so much! It's not fair! You can't leave; I won't let you! You're my big brother and—" Nudge blubbered, clinging onto Fang's arm.

"I'll let you help me and Iggy on our latest bomb if you stay!" the Gasman said in a rather confident and persuasive way. Grr, what bomb? Ugh, those boys!

"Celeste and I will miss you too much, Fang!" Angel whispered, turning her full angel-like charms on full blast.

"You're one of my best friends, dude. But I wish you the best of luck." Iggy choked, for once showing us an emotion other than sarcasm.

"You know I have to go, guys," Fang insisted, sounding like he really _didn't_ want to go. But he opened the door, giving the dogs, the flock, and even Jeb and Dylan once last look (giving Dylan a 'this doesn't mean you can go around kissing Max' look) before walking away.

I quickly ran after him, shutting the door behind me. "I love you, Fang." I whispered, tears clogging my throat, as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I'm starting to think that tears are becoming Max-like.

He turned around, leaning down to kiss me passionately, before murmuring, "I love you, Maximum Ride." He released my waist, spread his beautiful black wings, and took off into the bright blue sky, leaving me with a heavy heart.

* * *

End of chapter notes: Even though this was sad, it was still one of my favorite chapters; after all, the dogs came back from their honeymoon, and everyone loves Total. ^.^ Oh and thanks for the reviews! Keep them up, they cheer me up. I'll update soon!


	15. Chapter 15: AN Not the end!

Hey guys! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! I know I'm not really supposed to be posting author's notes on FFnet, but I knew no other way to get the message out, and I promise to delete this soon and post it at the end of the chapter instead. I'm truly very sorry for being MIA, but school has been very difficult, and if I don't focus on my studies, I won't ever get into the college of my choice, work on my major, and stabilize my dream of being an author.

Anyway, I'm also trying to better hone in on my writing skills in my language classes, so even though I am still working on my stories and plan to finish them, I need to continue improving and revising before I feel comfortable with posting new chapters or sequels. I am terribly sorry, but if you are attached to my works, please be patient and look out for new chapters/sequels in the near future after I finish this year of high school; if I feel comfortable enough, I might even post a story this winter break. I make no promises.

Thanksgiving is coming soon, so to all of my American friends out there—enjoy your time with your families! I'll try to keep in touch on my profile.

Thank you for your patience and please forgive me for my heavy workload, immense stress, and insecurities on my skills as a writer; you all are amazing! ^^

~Kiki

P.S. Do you know what the worst feeling ever is for me atm? Seeing the all the hits for my stories and not having the time to finish them right now. It hurts, and I can't say sorry enough for my busy life.


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